The Gasman
by StephanieZorander
Summary: This time, it's Gazzy who has his own story to share. Angel has been kidnapped, but does Gazzy even know his sister any more? And what explosive secret is Angel hiding? Six years later, and life isn't getting any easier for the birdkids.
1. Chapter 1

**So.** **Out of all the stories I gave up on, this is the one that still gets reviews, so I've basically been guilt tripped into starting it up again. :) I've been reworking it, but I first wrote this nearly two years ago, and I've sort of forgotten what the plot was supposed to be about. BUT I think I have a newly formulated workable plot, though I'd really appreciate if you let me know if something doesn't make sense or if something is inconsistent. (At one point, I had Gazzy being thirteen and fifteen at the same time, lol) I've been rewriting a lot of it but I wouldn't be surprised if I missed some things.**

**This story mainly takes place six years after the first three Maximum Ride books. The rest of the flock does appear at a later point.**

* * *

_Six years ago…_

It is spring, and half-melted snow clumps are scatter around the yard of an elementary school. The wide expanse of mud and grass morphs into a parking lot, which is filled with still-running vehicles in a somewhat orderly line. Parents tiredly rub their forehead and sit back, tap their foot impatiently, or wait eagerly for their child to come and tell them how their day was.

Five minutes later, a crowd of kids exit the building, led by their teachers.

Enter Abigail Litson, a girl of nearly eight years.

Abby was talking to her friend, Michelle.

"I can't wait until your party! It's going to be so much fun!" Michelle said enthusiastically, her blond hair in two messy braids.

Abby's own hair was brown and had come out of its ponytail due to some rather intense exertion during recess. She smiled and skipped along, her tangled hair bouncing. "I know, I'm so excited! My mom said there'll be cake and ice cream, too."

"Ooh, can _I _come? I like cake and ice cream," said a chubby boy decked out in winter gear, though it wasn't nearly so cold as to warrant his attire. "I won't get you a present though."

Michelle frowned at him. "Go _away_, Michael. There's no way Abby'll want you at her party."

"Oh well, I guess I don't want to catch cooties, anyway," Michael grinned. He stuck his tongue out at them before running away to his parent's car.

"What a jerk," Michelle said.

Abby nodded in agreement, and Michelle reached her mom's white van. "Bye, Michelle!" she said, also waving at her friend's mom, who knew her well.

"See you later!" her friend responded.

Abby moved away and turned toward the east, where her house was. Her teacher, Ms. Gretchens, walked her across the street, and then waved her goodbye.

"Have a nice birthday, Abby," she called as she started back to the school. All Abby had to do was walk down to the next street and turn the corner, and then she would reach her house. Her mom would be looking out the window, watching for her. Her teacher was across the street behind her, looking to make sure she got home safely.

But Abby never reached her house.

A dark Sedan pulled up along Abby, and the young girl glanced up curiously at it. One of the doors slid open, and Abby began to walk away, fast. Her parents and teachers must have told her a thousand times to stay away from strangers.

_I want you coming home safe and sound, _her mother's voice echoed in her mind. _Don't stop for anything. Don't talk to strangers. Come straight here._

But then a tall man climbed out of the car and grabbed her.

Abby screamed. She yelled as loud as she could, but the man simply wrestled her into the car. Terrified, she kicked and squirmed and shrieked, but nothing worked. The man who grabbed her twisted her arms so hard it hurt, and then he managed to tie her wrists together. The whole time, he was cursing, using words Abby knew she would get in trouble if a grown up ever caught her using them.

"Drive," the man commanded the woman driving. Abby twisted to look out the back window, and she Ms. Gretchens running and yelling. There was nothing that could be done. The car lurched forward and sped away.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Abby cried, until the man hit her.

"Quiet," he snapped. At first Abby couldn't get herself to quiet, until the man raised his fist again. She stifled her sobs as best as best as she could, letting the tears run down her cheeks. She was terrified and wondered what would happen to her.

Abby Litson never saw her parents again.

* * *

_Now…_

Gazzy stood stonily, looking darkly at the man before him. His name was Kyle. He was fairly young for the business he was in, had sandy blond hair, and good looks. He looked like an average, nice guy. But he wasn't.

He was one of _them_.

"We're not Itex," said Kyle. "We're something different. We support them, but we're our own little branch. We have our own rules. So kid, don't say I didn't warn you. Things may get rough around here."

Gazzy crossed his arms over his chest. He was hardly a _kid_ anymore. He was fourteen.

And he was also captured. Alone, in a dark building that was somehow associated with Itex. What did it have to do exactly with Itex? He didn't know. All he knew was trapped by some kind of enemy, and no one knew where he was. There would be no rescue, and it was by his own doing.

Kyle smiled coldly. "You're one tough little guy, aren't you? Going off to rescue your sister, on your own. What happened to the great Maximum Ride? Maybe if you were with her, you might not be here. Helpless."

Maximum Ride was off making out with Fang, Gazzy thought bitterly. She married Fang, and suddenly the flock wasn't so important anymore. Angel was gone, and Max wasn't doing anything about it.

Kyle was watching him. "Sore subject, huh? I can see it your eyes. Maximum abandoned you."

But not just Max, Gazzy thought. Iggy and Nudge too. All they cared about was dating people and falling in love and living a life that didn't involve their old family. Angel was captured, and before the whole flock would've jumped to save her.

Now it was just Gazzy. And he wasn't strong enough to do it on his own.

"I thought Fang was the silent one," Kyle continued. "But then again, _Fang _might have been able to rescue Angel. You may be tough, but you're still a failure. You can't even save your own sister—"

That was it. All of Gazzy's pent up anger was released, and cold fury washed upon him. His blue eyes narrowed, and he launched himself at Kyle, intending to choke the life out of him…

…and then Gazzy ended up on the ground, twitching and jerking, his hands clawing at the silver collar that had been put around his neck. His vision flashed white for a second. All he knew was searing, electrifying pain.

Kyle stood over him, a remote controlling the collar in his right hand. Gazzy looked at him, pain glazing over the anger in his eyes.

"I'll tell Angel you said hi…" Gazzy heard faintly, before he blacked out.

_I'm so sorry Angel_, was the boy's last thought.

* * *

Angel's knowing gaze bothered every scientist who stopped to study her. There was so much power in that one glance. It startled every single person. They at first saw the young girl, thin and tall, with curly blonde hair.

And then they saw her deep blue eyes, the wisdom beyond her years. This was a girl who knew things, because she lived through what most kids hadn't. It aged her, made more mature than any teen.

She knew more than even Max. Could Max tell the future? Could Max just _know _what was going to happen? Did Max know that within a month Angel was going to die?

Angel closed her eyes once, in pain. She knew Gazzy was coming after her, and she wished he wouldn't. When she died he'd think it was his fault. He'd think he should have saved her. But he couldn't. No one, not even Maximum Ride, could change the future.

Angel looked up as Kyle walked into her cell. The heavy, reinforced door shut behind him. As if Angel could escape. She absentmindedly fingered her collar. It would send volts of electricity through her, at the touch of a button. A shock collar, like for an animal.

"Hello Angel," Kyle said, looking at her.

"I know," Angel said softly, a trace of pain in her young voice. She already knew what he was going to tell her. "My brother's here."

Angel could never read his mind, for some reason. She couldn't hear or control thoughts in this place. But she still _knew _things, like ages ago, when she knew Max and Fang would get gills. When that sniper was going to shoot Max.

Angel wished things were as simple as the earlier years. It was hard back then, but now everything was falling apart.

"In one month the scientist are going to be done studying you. They'll be completing all their tests, and after that you won't be needed."

"I know that too," Angel whispered.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Drop a review if you have the time. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**As always, reviews, favorites, and alerts are loved are appreciated! Thanks!**

* * *

Gazzy sat at the edge of the cot, his head in his hands. Everything was falling apart, and it was killing him. The flock should have been together, sitting in Hawaii or something. They had defeated Itex years ago, or so they thought. They had spent years living in Dr. M's house, thinking they were safe. Max and Fang had finally gotten married and had moved out. Iggy was off in college, having the time of his life.

And then the calls had started. Nudge had answered the phone, and freaked. When everyone came running she told them a 'friend of Itex' had called, saying that they were all going to die. Nudge was older and smarter, but she still had the ability to talk way more than necessary. Eventually they got out of her that it was a man on the phone, and he said he'd call back often.

He did. Ella tried to say that maybe it was just some kind of joke on the famous bird kids, but that didn't seem likely. Eventually Jeb got a new, more secure phone system. The flock was unbothered for a quite a while. Nudge graduated and went looking to start a career in the fashion industry. Max and Fang were never told about the calls. Dr. Martinez wanted to keep her daughter unworried and relaxed, after all her work saving the world.

Then Angel was taken. Gazzy had noticed a change in her the week before. Whenever he had asked her what was up, she'd just shrug and say she was a little tired. Angel was soon gone, with a note in her place. Where Angel should have been, on her bed, was the piece of paper that led Gazzy here.

_Did I say I'd leave you alone? Maybe Itex is done with you, but we aren't. The world of science isn't done with you yet._

_And about Angel? She has limited time. But I'm sure you'll meet with her soon enough._

_Kyle_

Gazzy had panicked. He'd looked around the house for clues, studied the type of paper used to make the note, and researched any scientists named Kyle. Dr. Martinez had implored that he contact the flock before he went off on his own. Gazzy had refused.

All Gazzy's effort had led him to here, to this dark, underground building. He'd tried to sneak in, but in his desperation he had gotten caught, by a man who'd introduced himself as Kyle. Gazzy had been forced into a collar that could give him a nasty shock if he dared to disobey Kyle.

Gazzy felt tears of frustration. He remembered the last time Angel had been caught, and how everyone went after her. Now he was alone. He didn't know what to do. Angel was counting on him, and now he was stuck here as a prisoner. Or possibly an experiment. Gazzy wasn't really sure what was going to happen to him, but that didn't really matter.

Angel mattered, more than anything. Max, Fang, Iggy, and Nudge all seemed content trying to live new lives. Gazzy wanted the flock to be whole, to stay together. Even Total spent most of his time tramping around with Akila, although he did live with them at Dr. Martinez's house. Angel was the only one Gazzy had left.

Gazzy worried about her. If Angel had been hurt, Gazzy would kill that Kyle, or die trying. He wanted so much to be able to hold his sister, to hug her, even though she had never seemed to need him as much as he needed her. He wanted her to be around so he could even be jealous of all the abilities she had and he didn't. And how had Angel gotten caught? How could she have not seen it coming, the way she always saw things? She had acted weird the week before she was captured, but she would have fought the guys after her. Gazzy knew she would. But how had they taken her, without anyone in the house noticing? And why wasn't Angel using her mind control to break free?

Gazzy felt sick with fear. Angel had been here for about a couple of weeks. What if they had drugged her? What if she was always unconscious, an experiment to test or dissect? What if she was hurt, real bad? What if, what if, what if?

Gazzy looked around the room they had put him in. Distressed, he searched every corner, every wall, every square inch in the room.

It was sealed tight.

How could he possibly save Angel? It seemed that now he was in as much trouble as she.

If only the flock was still together. If only Gazzy wasn't alone.

* * *

Abigail opened her green eyes blearily. She wasn't surprised by her surroundings. It was the same small cell as always. She was let out a couple times a day to use the bathroom, and let out way more than that for the experiments.

Sometimes she was unconscious for days, weeks. They drugged her, kept her under to try their more complicated experiments.

Sometimes Abby was glad she wasn't aware of what was being done to her.

The scientist had tried grafting wings on her eight year old body. She had been able to move the wings, but her bones were regular, heavy human bones, despite their attempts to make them otherwise. She wasn't strong enough to move her wings well. She didn't have the ability to withstand higher elevation. She was a failure.

Instead of retiring her, as they sometimes did with other kids, they removed her wings. She had long scars running down her back from that particular surgery.

Abby numbly sat up, rubbing her eyes, which had dark circles under them. She didn't understand why the scientists kept her alive. She was weak, feeble girl, her energy drained from always being tested. Her brown hair was limp and dull, and her face drawn and aged. She looked like she lived a hundred years, not fourteen.

Abby was still sometimes scared at of how quickly she was losing herself. Before the fact that one of the experiments had died would bring her a wave of hot anger, and when she saw another alive experiment she would have an overwhelming feeling of compassion and sadness.

Now it merely touched her slightly, but did not bring any strong reactions. Abby had lived through those kinds of things for six years, so why should it still bother her?

That was what scared Abby. She had always cared about things. Now she didn't. Perhaps that was the worst things the scientists had done; they had taken away her personality. They were slowly turning her heartless, into a numb, feelingless creature.

The only thing that started her fighting, after all these years, was that golden-haired girl. She'd had big blue, knowing eyes. When Abby had seen her, she had felt so sorry for that girl. She felt anger at the man leading her. She'd been surprised by the rush of emotions that, absent for so long, had entered her, almost giving her strength.

She'd had wanted so much to comfort that girl, to help her. She wanted to hurt the people who made her look that way, like she'd seen more than things in her life than any other grown up on the planet. Forever destoryed inside, like Abby sometimes felt.

What really puzzled Abby about the girl was that, when she saw Abby, she had smiled. A small smile, but a smile nevertheless. She seemed comforted by something, or happy about something, not like she was smiling at Abby, although she seemed to be doing that too. It gave Abby hope as she tried to solve the enigmatic girl. She wasn't some zombie. She still had character, and heart. She could still think, and her brain was intact at the moment. There was no way the scientist could take away Abby's self, her life. They couldn't change who she was.

Abby's eyes eventually focused, and she forced herself to be more aware of her surroundings. She _wouldn't _become some object the scientists studied. She would be Abby, a girl tortured by madmen and madwomen in lab coats.

Abby smiled to herself. There was hope. She wasn't done fighting, not yet.

* * *

"I've let them down, especially Gazzy," Max said to Fang, upset. "I should have seen them coming."

Fang looked at her calmly. "Max, we've been over this. You're not Angel. You can't see the future."

"I don't need to see the future! I'm supposed to be _smart_, Fang. But I've been so stupid. I left the flock, let them go. We should have stayed together. And I should have definitely known that something like this would happen!"

"How?" Fang asked, raising an eyebrow, watching Max pace back and forth over the beige carpeting. He didn't move. Sometimes it was better just to let Max vent.

"Because it's _my _life. None of us in the flock will ever be normal. Maybe we defeated Itex, but we're still mutants. We're still wanted. We're still not safe."

"Max, calm down," Fang said. "The flock can't stay together forever. The younger kids need space to grow, to mature. I know it's hard, but you can't always be there to protect them."

"Gazzy's by himself after Angel!" Max crossed the hotel room again anxiously, rubbing her forehead with her hand. "Maturing, for most kids, is growing up in school and learning how to make friends and deal with enemies and _not _dealing with crazy scientists that want you as their next lab project!"

Max's dark blonde hair was splayed about her shoulders, and her brown eyes were narrowed with the kind of intensity that made grown men cower and smart people run away, lest they face her wrath. Fang had always loved that about her, that fighting spirit. Even after fruitlessly searching to the point of exhaustion for Angel, and then Gazzy when they found he too was gone, Max still could not find it in herself to rest.

She was so beautiful. So fierce.

"Gazzy's fourteen," Fang reminded her. "He's the same age you and I were when we were first on the run, remember? The same age you were when you were the leader. The age you were when you managed to bring down Itex. The same age you were when you had to take care of everybody in the flock, protect them, look after them—"

"I get it Fang," Max said angrily. "So we just let Gazzy rescue Angel by himself?"

"No," Fang said gently. "I'm just saying you have to put some faith in Gazzy. We'll find him, but until then, he can take care of himself."

"It's been two weeks," Max said, an edge of desperation in her voice. "Two weeks since Nudge came bursting into our house saying Angel was gone."

"We're doing the best we can. Nudge and Iggy are checking out some leads too, maybe they'll find something. Until then, just relax."

Max was about to protest that there was no way she could relax, when Fang came over to her and put an arm around her waist. He put his lips on hers, and kissed her gently.

"We'll find them, I promise," Fang whispered softly, pulling away. "You're the invincible Maximum Ride, remember? You've never failed yet."

"I think I've already failed…" Max retorted quietly, leaning her head against Fang's steady shoulder. His arm came up around her. "But you're right about one thing. We _will _get them back."

* * *

**So that is what's going on with the rest of the flock. Review?**


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but I do not own Maximum Ride. Shocker, right? XD**

* * *

Gazzy looked up as someone opened the door. A man in a lab coat was in the doorway, someone unfamiliar.

Gazzy fleetingly wondered how much force it would take to snap the man's neck. Probably not much, considering his mutant strength, but he remembered the stupid collar. And Angel. He didn't want to do anything that would risk Angel's life. Once his sister was safe he would be free to beat up any scientist he wished. Starting with Kyle, the mysterious and irritating figure that had somehow brought Itex back into the flock's life. And he could almost imagine blowing this place up, the beautiful explosion it would make, how it would almost be like the old days with Iggy.

"Come here," the scientist said in a calm voice. Gazzy felt a flare of anger as the man studied him, like inspecting some kind of animal, or… experiment.

Gazzy swallowed as he realized the full implications of the situation. He was pretty much helpless, and Angel was somewhere in here, also helpless. He hadn't told Max or even Dr. Martinez where this place was.

Completely vulnerable, in the middle of some evil institution. It was like one of his nightmares coming to life.

Gazzy stepped forward, closer to the doorway. He wondered if he could possibly be quick enough to kill this man and then run out of the place. That would be stupid though, Gazzy reminded himself. He had to know where Angel was first. He remembered an old lesson from Max: Always have a plan.

Gazzy decided he would wait and watch, and when the time came he would act. That was all he could do at the moment.

"Follow me," the scientist commanded him, turning and walking away. He didn't look back once, but Gazzy decided to follow anyway. He needed to know the layout of this place better. He _hated _taking orders, but he had to take people telling him what to do. He knew he should stay alert and look for an opportunity to make his move.

The whitecoat walked at a fast pace, never checking to see if Gazzy was behind him. Gazzy wondered at this. Did they really think all their experiments were so obedient? Or were they so confident that no one could possibly escape, or cause any trouble?

Gazzy did his best to take in his surroundings as he followed the whitecoat. He spotted some cameras, and noted the fact that there were guards periodically pacing up and down the extremely clean, white hallways. The guards were wearing black, professional-looking outfits, and they traveled in pairs. Gazzy's sharp eyes didn't miss the fact that they had semi-automatic weapons equipped.

Gazzy studied the doors that passed. Some were like his, heavily reinforced, and were spaced apart from each other. Could his sister possibly be in one of those cells? She would hear his thoughts, wouldn't she?

Gazzy took a turn left after the whitecoat, and then he froze. A certain strong smell had reached him, stopping him with a flood of memories. Gazzy inhaled again, automatically, and winced, shutting his eyes. He could almost feel himself being a little kid again, stuck in a dog crate, taken out to be tested. He could almost feel the pain and nausea and needles from those terrible days in the School. That hated chemical, too-clean smell lingered no matter where he was in the School.

That was what Gazzy smelled, now.

The whitecoat seemed to sense that Gazzy wasn't behind him anymore. He stopped and turned around. He watched Gazzy for a minute, seeing the tall, skinny boy standing stock-still with his eyes shut, near panic on his face.

"Come here," the whitecoat finally said in a dispassionate voice. "I don't want to hurt you, but if you disobey my orders—"

With great effort Gazzy opened his eyes, taking a deep breath. The sharp chemical scent made him want to bolt in the other direction, but he took slow steps toward the whitecoat, thinking of Angel.

Wordlessly the whitecoat pulled opened a heavy door, and Gazzy walked inside. He felt sick when the smell became even stronger and when he saw the metal table, with various needles and sharp looking instruments lying in a tray beside it.

"Sit," the whitecoat commanded, picking up a needle that Gazzy recognized was for drawing blood.

With only a trickle of relief, Gazzy allowed the whitecoat to draw blood from his arm. He'd been through worse.

Later, when he was walked back to his cell, Gazzy couldn't help feeling a flicker of hope. Because in his hand, discretely taken earlier, was a thin, sharp scalpel.

Maybe he could find a way to put it into good use.

* * *

Gazzy sighed, frustrated. The collar was made entirely out of metal. He knew it had snapped on him, but there wasn't any visible hinge, which was almost impossible to believe. Of course he couldn't really look at the collar since it was around his neck, but he should have been able to feel something. The only thing he could see, and just barely, was a green LED light blinking every few seconds. Gazzy had _hoped _that he could somehow use the scalpel to remove the collar, but it was beginning to seem rather hopeless.

Gazzy couldn't help tugging at the collar every now and then. Sure, he'd been moved up from a dog crate to a cell, but they still treated him like animal. He was wearing a freaking shock collar. He knew it shouldn't get to him that much; he remembered Max saying that the girls had to wear collars just the same when they were at that place in Germany. Still, he hated the feeling of being controlled.

Gazzy slid the scalpel in the side of his shoe, making sure it wouldn't scratch against his foot. He'd have to find another way to use it. It was the only weapon he had at the moment, but it was better than nothing.

And Max had taught the flock to always use whatever they had to get the best advantage.

Gazzy smiled as he remembered Max's old lessons. Never give up. That was one of them. One of the most important ones, she'd told the flock. Never, ever let the bad guys win.

Gazzy _wouldn't _give up. It could take days, weeks, even months to find a way out of here, but Gazzy wouldn't let the bad guys win. He would get Angel out of here alive. Somehow, he knew he would.

* * *

Angel sat quietly, thinking. It had been so long since anything had happened to the flock. But she had known this was coming. She just wished she could have done this better. If only she had known _sooner_. Max and Fang were going to find her, she knew it, but not until it was too late. And she knew Gazzy would find a way out, with that girl, Abby.

Angel was the only one not coming out of here alive. She wished it could be different, but she knew. She knew she was going to die, one way or another.

And it was all her doing.

Angel remembered those childish days, when she was young, when she thought she was better than Max. She had thought because she was more powerful, and Max seemed so weak sometimes, that she should be the leader. But she knew now, that Max was stronger than she was. Max was smart, and brave. She had taken care of Angel better than Angel could've taken care of herself. But when she was younger she had believed that Max was so stupid sometimes. She didn't understand why Max had led them into danger so many times. If _she _had been the leader, she would have known whether or not they were going to be in danger. But she learned, over the years, that it wasn't like that. Max struggled with keeping the flock safe and saving the world, working to be a hero and working to be with Fang. At the same time Max kept the flock together like a family, keeping them happy and together.

Except now. The flock was breaking up, Angel was going to die, and Gazzy was going to be torn apart. Angel felt it in her heart, the feeling so strong it nearly took her breath away.

The future couldn't be changed. The flock's fate was sealed.

* * *

**Review?**


	4. Chapter 4

Nothing happened for a week, until another whitecoat came to take Gazzy. Gazzy stayed silent, trailing behind him, thinking.

_I have to get out of here_, he told himself. _I have to find a way._

The whitecoat took Gazzy around a corner, and he was surprised to see another whitecoat walking towards them, a little girl at his side. The young girl reminded Gazzy of Angel. She was maybe five, and had long blonde hair that curled at the ends. She looked up with sad, brown eyes, eyes that were different than Angel's. Still, Gazzy couldn't help feeling protective of her. She seemed so sweet and innocent, undeserving of this horrible place.

The whitecoat leading Gazzy stopped Whitecoat #2, looking at the girl. "This one is Experiment 75b? Is she slated for termination?"

Gazzy's heart leapt in his throat.

"Yes," Whitecoat #2 answered.

"I'm busy with this one here. You do the paperwork for me?"

"No!" Gazzy exploded, moving in front of the little girl. The whitecoats looked at him, shocked. Gazzy would have laughed if he wasn't so mad. "No _kids _are going to die today, especially not this one."

The whitecoats just watched him with calculating expressions, and Gazzy struggled to keep his anger in check. Glancing behind him, he noticed that the little girl had inched closer to him and was looking at him with her big brown eyes.

If they didn't let the girl live, he would take the scalpel still in his shoe and stab it right through their throats, he swore he would. What kind of twisted person complained about the paperwork of killing a child?

Gazzy crouched down, warily keeping track of the whitecoats. They seemed to be content just standing there like idiots. Well, whatever. As long as they weren't going to do anything immediately, Gazzy sought to reassure the young girl.

"Hi, my name's Gazzy. I'm going to help you. What's your name?" Gazzy held one of the girl's hands, and she leaned into him a little. In the back of his mind he was thinking about how this was the last thing he needed—someone else to take care of. He didn't even have Angel back yet, and he was taking charge of a little girl who already seemed to trust him.

"I'm Tara," she said softly, eyes widened in fear. "The whitecoats are going to retire me… what does that mean?"

"Interesting," murmured one of the whitecoats. "It has been listening to our conversations."

Gazzy shot them a useless glare, then turned his attention to Tara. "It means… they want to hurt you. But I'm not going to let them do that, okay?"

"He seems to have taken responsibility for the girl. Isn't his sister the reason he came here?"

"Indeed. He has protective tendencies similar to his flock leader…"

Gazzy gritted his teeth, wishing they would _shut up _about how fascinating their experiments were.

"I know you'll help me. You aren't like _them_. I can tell," the little girl said, hugging him. Gazzy hugged her back, stroking her soft hair. He heard the whitecoats talking, but he didn't pay attention to what they were saying. What had he gotten himself into? This little girl had latched onto him, and how the heck was he supposed to protect her, rescue Angel, and then escape with them both? Gazzy took a deep breath. He could do this. He had to.

Gazzy stood, trying to make himself look as dark and Fang-like as possible. The only one who could look scarier than Fang was a pissed off Max, but even she couldn't look as dark as Fang. "You are _not _going to touch this girl, and if you even try to 'retire' one experiment, I will _kill_ you. I don't care if I'm locked up in the most secure cell you've got, I don't care if there's an _army _outside my door, I _will kill you_."

The whitecoats didn't seem the least bit disturbed. "If you'd like, the girl can stay in the same room as you," one of the whitecoats said, watching Gazzy carefully.

Gazzy was taken aback and deeply suspicious. The whitecoats were monsters, ready to kill this little girl, and suddenly they were going along with what he wanted. Why?

"Here, we'll save your testing for later. Why don't you just go back, and take, what's her name? Tara? Go ahead and take her with you," the other whitecoat said like a kind teacher trying to compromise with a young student, making Gazzy feel wary. But then Tara tugged on his hand a little, and Gazzy doubtfully decided to go along with it.

The whitecoats followed behind this time, letting Gazzy lead the girl to his cell. They were murmuring to each other, but even Gazzy's sharp hearing couldn't detect what they were saying.

A couple minutes later they reached the cell, and one of the whitecoats graciously opened the door for the two kids and then locked the door behind them.

Gazzy went over to sit on the cot, bringing Tara with him. "So how old are you, Tara?" he asked curiously, holding her.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "How old are _you_?"

Gazzy grinned a little. "Fourteen. I'm ancient, aren't I?"

Tara giggled, and Gazzy couldn't help feeling a little uplifted. Maybe he couldn't help Angel at the moment, but he was making a cute little girl a little happier.

At the same time, his heart ached. How could a young child seem so happy in a place made of death and inhumanity?

Tara was still smiling, but she had a peculiar expression on her face. She was looking up at Gazzy, concentrating. "You look like her," she said decidedly. "That girl."

"What girl?" Gazzy asked, feeling a leap of hope. Could she possibly be talking about Angel?

"The girl who told me I could trust you. She said I'd be able to tell who she was talking about. She was really nice," Tara said, looking up with her innocent brown eyes. "Do you know her? Her name is Angel."

"Yes!" Gazzy said excitedly. Angel was here, and she knew Gazzy was here too. For the first time in days, Gazzy felt like maybe this wasn't so impossible. "Listen, Tara, this is important. Did she say anything else to you?"

Tara thought for a moment. "Yeah… she said when it happens, it's not your fault."

Gazzy was startled. "What the heck does _that _mean?"

Tara shrugged. "She just told me that when it happens, you shouldn't blame yourself. S'not your fault, that's what she said. And she said she loves you."

Gazzy swallowed. He _couldn't _let Angel down. He wasn't totally sure he knew what Angel's message meant, but it sounded bad. What didn't she want him to blame himself for? Something in the future? Was Angel going to be hurt?

"Is that it?" Gazzy asked.

"I think so," the girl said, unsure, not realizing how serious the situation was. She lost interest, playing with a loose thread on her shirt. Gazzy wanted to press her for answers, but she was just a kid.

Gazzy sighed, watching the girl hum quietly to herself. He wished Angel was with him, and it was her he was protecting. However, it was Tara in his care, and he was going to do his best not to let any of those monsters get to her.

* * *

When Gazzy woke up, he was alone. It took him a minute to remember why there was something terrible about that.

"Tara!" Gazzy looked around wildly, but the girl was gone. The cot she was sleeping on was gone. In fact, there was no sign that she had ever been in the room.

The door of Gazzy's cell opened, and Gazzy narrowed his eyes as Kyle walked in.

"Liar liar," Kyle chided gently, watching Gazzy for a reaction. "You promised to protect the girl, but seeing as how she's lying in a room right now, cold and dead…"

Silence. It took only a second for Gazzy to comprehend, but he was rendered speechless as the horror of what he said washed over him.

"You—" Gazzy stopped, unable to think of a name vile enough for the man.

Kyle watched with a faint touch of amusement. "If it makes you feel any better, she was unconscious the whole time. She didn't even twitch when we put her down with a lethal injection. She died happy, the little lamb."

"Screw you," Gazzy said, his voice rough. His fists clenched; he wanted to kill that man, more than he'd ever wanted to kill anyone before. The flock could have been safe. Angel could have been safe. Tara should never have died. It was all Kyle's fault.

"_I'm _not the one who betrayed—what was her name?—Tara." The young man shrugged. "Well, at least she died without knowing. Wouldn't it have been awful if she had known about her coming death? Here you were, such a nice boy, offering her protection. At least she didn't have to die knowing you weren't there to save her."

Gazzy wanted to say something, do something. Preferably, strangle the man before him. However, Kyle had struck a nerve. He could imagine Tara's face pale with death, and he suddenly felt stomach-churning guilt.

_Was that what Angel meant when she wanted me not to blame myself? _Gazzy thought. Angel had said it wasn't his fault. Gazzy felt even worse. It _was _his fault. He'd let his guard down. He'd slept through the murder of an innocent girl he promised to protect. And she was so young, not even six probably.

"Why?" Gazzy whispered.

"I want you to know what you're dealing with," Kyle said. With that, he left, the door slamming shut behind him.

"No!" Gazzy's reflexes, numbed by horror, were too slow. His fists struck the solid door, and he slid to the ground, feeling an urge to cry and scream at the same time.

He had failed. Again. From trying to rescue Angel to trying to protect an innocent girl, Gazzy could never get anything right. Remembering Tara's sweet, naïve personality, Gazzy fought the urge to throw up.

"_Damn _it," he yelled, hitting his head against the door. "I will _kill _you, Kyle. I swear to God, _I will kill you!_"

* * *

Angel. Angel. Angel.

She was all Gazzy could think about, the only safe haven from the guilt of Tara. It was only a small consolation, but if he could save Angel, maybe a little bit of the wrong he had done would be righted.

When she was younger, Angel had been unbearable. As a seven-year-old, she had been the worst.

It had started as Angel's occasional campaigns to become leader, but it grew worse. Angel and Max constantly fought, and Angel began to invade the flock members' heads. No one noticed at first, and Angel very nearly got Max kicked out of the flock permanently. However, Max saved Angel's life. They had been hunting down the remnants of Itex and destroying them. Angel, who had been behaving recklessly, had been attacked by a group of people from Itex. They planned to kill her, but Max showed up just in time.

Even that didn't slow Angel down much. She manipulated the flock, and she constantly drove Max to the edge. She was relentless. When Fang found out about Angel getting into their heads, he was furious. Everyone was. Gazzy remembered that terrible night, when Max finally lost it. She kicked Angel out of the flock.

The flock had been staying at Dr. Marinez's for a bit. Max promised Angel that they would stay there for one more week. If Angel wanted, she could come back and apologize, and she would be accepted back into the flock. If she refused to change, she could stay gone. Angel coldly left without speaking to anyone, except for Total. She asked him to come with her—he refused. Gazzy had never seen Angel so angry.

That had been a terrible week. Angel had it coming, but at the same time, it was dangerous for her to be alone. Itex was gone, or so they had thought, at that point, but they were famous. They were still in danger from evil megalomaniacs who wanted to get their hands on some avian-human hybrids. The flock was also the only family Angel had. What if she didn't come back by the end of the week? Would Max really ban her from the flock forever? The flock was anxious. Max was haunted by the idea that she had made a very wrong choice.

Desperate, Gazzy had gone to Max. She was his sister. Maybe she was terrible sometimes, but she was almost eight. She was way too young to be out alone. He had screamed at Max, accusing her of trying to kill his little sister. Burdened by guilt, she had screamed back. It was the worst fight Gazzy had had with Max. It was the _only _fight he'd had with her. Never before had Max been brought down to his level.

Right as the flock was ready to leave, Angel showed up, tearful and repentant. Max had instantly taken her into her arms, crying. Gazzy had never been happier.

From then on, there was a change in Angel. She no longer went behind Max's back. She no longer resented Max's position as leader. She stayed out of the flock's heads—most of the time. She even came to love Max as an older sister. Gazzy was jealous of their relationship, but it was better than the two constantly fighting.

Things weren't always bad; there were definitely some light moments. Gazzy went through a phase where he wanted to be called Zephyr permanently. He felt it would make a better "superhero name" than the Gasman. Iggy went through a Mohawk phase. Nudge fluctuated between being a vegetarian and giving in to meat. She would break down and eat a burger or something only to feel extremely remorseful and proclaim that she was a vegetarian again.

The flock grew up even more. By the time Angel was nine, it was obvious she was an incredibly bright girl. The flock was starting to break up around this time, and Angel went to different schools for "gifted" students. Gazzy's relationship with Angel was strained. While he too was smart, he wasn't at her level. They ended up separated. He tried to be supportive of her, but he couldn't help hating her at the same time. Why was she so talented, unlike him?

Famous as they were, the flock could do anything. They split up, though they did visit Dr. Martinez often. Angel once made an educational trip to Europe—without him. Angel felt bad that she was away from Gazzy so often, but learning was her passion. When the two did meet, Gazzy tried not to feel too resentful as she told him about all her accomplishments. She could still read his mind—even though she tried to stay out of people's heads, a nice change—and she could sense his discontent.

The flock was briefly reunited at Max and Fang's marriage. The two were young, but as they pointed out, they'd been through more than anyone could ever imagine. Their experiences had forced them to become very mature very early. They had also been together for years, so obviously they were committed to each other.

After the marriage, the flock made a brief effort to stay reunited. Max and Fang left, though, to start their life together. Everyone else stayed near or at Dr. Martinez's house in an attempt to stay in touch.

The creepy calls had started. Angel had acted strangely. She was then kidnapped. Everything had lead up to this.

Looking back, Gazzy figured he probably should have asked the for flock's help in rescuing Angel. It was just so hard, though, after all those years. They grew up and apart. Even though they lived in the same area, they weren't as close as they were before.

And Angel. What was she doing now? Was she hurt?

Gazzy sat, with nothing to do but worry over Angel and feel nostalgia for days in the past. Things were so much simpler when it was just the flock and no one else. Fang had wanted to go live on an island and just forget the world. Would things have been different if they had just done that?

_Gazzy._

The boy froze. The voice was faint, but it was there in his head, and he recognized it in an instant.

_Angel? Is that you?_

_Of course it's me_, the girl's voice said inside his head, sounding impatient. The Gasman couldn't help smiling at the sound of her voice.

_Angel, are you okay? Where are you?_

_No time for that,_ Angel said. _You have to get out of here. Gazzy, as soon as you can get out of your cell, you have to unlock all the other cells._

_How? _Gazzy asked. He had so much to say, but he let his sister talk – as soon as they escaped they would have all the time they needed.

Gazzy listened as Angel listed off all the codes and passwords he would need. It was a good thing Gazzy's memory, like all of the other of the flock, was near perfect. Angel even explained how to access certain computers with a skill that matched Nudge's hacking abilities. Gazzy wondered why Angel hadn't been able to escape by herself.

Angel picked up on the thought and spared a second to answer it. _I'm in one of the more secure cells, Gaz. They hardly let me out of here, just bring in all the stuff they need to do tests._

_What tests? _Gazzy said, his worry surfacing. Angel didn't answer this question.

_Gazzy, you wouldn't leave without me even if I begged you to, would you?_

It took Gazzy a minute to comprehend what his little sister had asked him. _Angel, what are you talking about? I'd never leave without you._

Angel paused, before replying, _I thought you might say that._

Gazzy was panicked at the way sadness colored her words. He stood up and started pacing, almost without realizing it. _Angel, I swear to God, you better tell me how to get your butt out of that cell, because I'm not leaving until—_

_Fine, _came Angel's curt reply. _The code's 54980. You'll need a card too, just snag one from one of the scientists down on my level. Lowest floor._

_I'm gonna get you out, _Gazzy promised.

_Just be ready, _Angel answered.

_Wait, Angel, don't go yet… Angel? Are you listening? _The Gasman let out a breath, going over to his cot and sitting down. Excitement made his heart race, which felt good. It was nice to have a battle plan – it brought him back to the old days with Max. Still, there was something bothering him. Angel had been so distant, so professional. He knew that it had been a while since he and Angel had really talked, but there was something that felt so off about the situation. Like Angel asking about him leaving her… what had that been all about?

Gazzy's eyebrows knit in frustration. Once they were out of there, Gazzy was going to fix things with his sister. He missed that easy relationship he'd had with her, and he made a promise, right then, that he was going to do all he could to get that back. It took Angel being kidnapped to make him realize it, but he needed his little sister back in his life.

* * *

**A lot happened in this chapter... any thoughts?**


End file.
